It Might Be a Shock to Learn How Many Guns Are Trafficked from This State

24/7 Wall St. Insights

We used firearm tracing data from the ATF
Unlicensed dealers who do not conduct background checks are the largest source of illegally trafficked guns
Also, Discover “The Next NVIDIA”

The current state of gun legislation in Washington is deeply affected by the largely bipartisan divide on the topic. Due to this absence of consensus, there are not a lot of strong laws on the federal level. This leaves gun control legislation up to each state, and the obvious loopholes supply a thriving black market.

Deadly gun violence is a reality in the United States. In 2023, there were 656 mass shootings, as reported by the Trace.Org, an anti-gun violence organization. Thousands of firearms move across state lines for illicit purposes, as guns purchased in the least restrictive states are redistributed in states with stricter gun policies. Firearm tracing data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is key to understanding this issue.

According to a statement released by the White House, the largest source of guns illegally trafficked into communities are from unlicensed dealers who do not conduct background checks. Additionally, in an assessment of its gun trafficking investigations from 2017 to 2021, ATF identified sales by unlicensed dealers as the most frequently used gun trafficking channel.

When police recover a firearm suspected of being involved in a crime, they can enlist the help of the ATF to trace the firearm and determine when and where it was originally purchased. Last year, the ATF traced over 107,000 firearms that were recovered by law enforcement in states where they were not initially sold.

While not all guns traced by the ATF were used in a crime — and not all firearms used for illicit purposes are traced — federal tracing data offers valuable insight into trends and geographic patterns related to interstate gun trafficking in the United States.

Using firearm tracing data from the ATF, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states trafficking the most guns to the rest of the country. We ranked all 50 states on the share of guns first sold there that were recovered by law enforcement in a different state in 2022.

Why This Matters

24/7 covers the states where the most guns are trafficked to keep readers aware of the potential for crime related to gun trafficking in their area and how it can influence the economy. The top 10 states on this list account for over half of all firearms that were recovered by law enforcement in 2022 in a different part of the nation. The majority of these states have relatively few firearm restrictions. Geography also appears to play a role in interstate gun trafficking patterns. Often, the largest share of guns traced by the ATF to a given state were recovered by police in a bordering state. In 2022, the ATF traced over 1,200 firearms found in Florida back to the neighboring state of Georgia. High crime areas take an economic toll on local economies. Crime is costly – not only does it affect the labor market, housing market, and local businesses – but victims of crime pay an emotional and economic price as well.

Scroll below to see states where the most guns are trafficked from all 50 states ranked. All data is from 2022.

50. Hawaii

Guns from Hawaii recovered out of state: 53 (42.7% of recovered firearms from Hawaii)
The state with the most guns traced from Hawaii: California; 13 firearms (0.04% of all firearms recovered in California)
The state with second most guns traced from Hawaii: Texas; 6 firearms (0.01% of all firearms recovered in Texas)
Assessment of gun law strength: A-

49. Rhode Island

Guns from Rhode Island recovered out of state: 87 (14.5% of recovered firearms from Rhode Island)
The state with most guns traced from Rhode Island: Massachusetts; 27 firearms (1.1% of all firearms recovered in Massachusetts)
The state with second most guns traced from Rhode Island: Connecticut; 11 firearms (0.8% of all firearms recovered in Connecticut)
Assessment of gun law strength: B+

48. South Dakota

Guns from South Dakota recovered out of state: 300 (38.5% of recovered firearms from South Dakota)
The state with most guns traced from South Dakota: Minnesota; 43 firearms (1.1% of all firearms recovered in Minnesota)
The state with second most guns traced from South Dakota: California; 37 firearms (0.1% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

47. Nebraska

Guns from Nebraska recovered out of state: 316 (21.4% of recovered firearms from Nebraska)
The state with the most guns traced from Nebraska: Iowa; 44 firearms (1.6% of all firearms recovered in Iowa)
The state with second most guns traced from Nebraska: California; 38 firearms (0.1% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: C-

46. Vermont

Guns from Vermont recovered out of state: 327 (66.3% of recovered firearms from Vermont)
State with most guns traced from Vermont: Massachusetts; 94 firearms (3.9% of all firearms recovered in Massachusetts)
The state with second most guns traced from Vermont: New York; 75 firearms (0.9% of all firearms recovered in New York)
Assessment of gun law strength: B-

45. New Jersey

Guns from New Jersey recovered out of state: 331 (35.2% of recovered firearms from New Jersey)
The state with the most guns traced from New Jersey: Pennsylvania; 69 firearms (0.5% of all firearms recovered in Pennsylvania)
The state with second most guns traced from New Jersey: Florida; 39 firearms (0.1% of all firearms recovered in Florida)
Assessment of gun law strength: A

44. North Dakota

Guns from North Dakota recovered out of state: 354 (43.4% of recovered firearms from North Dakota)
The state with the most guns traced from North Dakota: Minnesota; 91 firearms (2.2% of all firearms recovered in Minnesota)
The state with second most guns traced from North Dakota: California; 37 firearms (0.1% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

43. Connecticut

Guns from Connecticut recovered out of state: 407 (42.7% of recovered firearms from Connecticut)
The state with most guns traced from Connecticut: New York; 63 firearms (0.8% of all firearms recovered in New York)
The state with the second most guns traced from Connecticut: Florida: 43 firearms (0.1% of all firearms recovered in Florida)
Assessment of gun law strength: A

42. Delaware

Guns from Delaware recovered out of state: 413 (30.5% of recovered firearms from Delaware)
State with most guns traced from Delaware: Pennsylvania; 125 firearms (1.0% of all firearms recovered in Pennsylvania)
The state with second most guns traced from Delaware: Maryland; 113 firearms (1.6% of all firearms recovered in Maryland)
Assessment of gun law strength: B+

41. Alaska

Guns from Alaska recovered out of state: 430 (32.2% of recovered firearms from Alaska)
The state with the most guns traced from Alaska: California; 62 firearms (0.2% of all firearms recovered in California)
The state with second most guns traced from Alaska: Washington; 42 firearms (0.9% of all firearms recovered in Washington)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

40. Massachusetts

Guns from Massachusetts recovered out of state: 433 (33.1% of recovered firearms from Massachusetts)
The state with the most guns traced from Massachusetts: Florida; 47 firearms (0.2% of all firearms recovered in Florida)
The state with second most guns traced from Massachusetts: California; 40 firearms (0.1% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: A-

39. Wyoming

Guns from Wyoming recovered out of state: 436 (76.8% of recovered firearms from Wyoming)
The state with the most guns traced from Wyoming: Colorado; 100 firearms (1.5% of all firearms recovered in Colorado)
The state with second most guns traced from Wyoming: California; 57 firearms (0.2% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

38. Maine

Guns from Maine recovered out of state: 538 (59.2% of recovered firearms from Maine)
The state with the most guns traced from Maine: Massachusetts; 205 firearms (8.6% of all firearms recovered in Massachusetts)
The state with second most guns traced from Maine: New York; 105 firearms (1.3% of all firearms recovered in New York)
Assessment of gun law strength: D-

37. New York

Guns from New York recovered out of state: 607 (28.3% of recovered firearms from New York)
The state with most guns traced from New York: Florida; 97 firearms (0.3% of all firearms recovered in Florida)
The state with second most guns traced from New York: Pennsylvania; 51 firearms (0.4% of all firearms recovered in Pennsylvania)
Assessment of gun law strength: A-

36. Montana

Guns from Montana recovered out of state: 631 (46.8% of recovered firearms from Montana)
The state with the most guns traced from Montana: California; 156 firearms (0.5% of all firearms recovered in California)
The state with second most guns traced from Montana: Washington; 109 firearms (2.3% of all firearms recovered in Washington)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

35. Minnesota

Guns from Minnesota recovered out of state: 659 (18.0% of recovered firearms from Minnesota)
The state with the most guns traced from Minnesota: Illinois; 97 firearms (0.6% of all firearms recovered in Illinois)
The state with second most guns traced from Minnesota: California; 77 firearms (0.2% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: B

34. New Hampshire

Guns from New Hampshire recovered out of state: 694 (60.5% of recovered firearms from New Hampshire)
State with most guns traced from New Hampshire: Massachusetts; 291 firearms (12.2% of all firearms recovered in Massachusetts)
The state with second most guns traced from New Hampshire: Florida: 34 firearms (0.1% of all firearms recovered in Florida)
Assessment of gun law strength: D-

33. Maryland

Guns from Maryland recovered out of state: 798 (20.7% of recovered firearms from Maryland)
The state with most guns traced from Maryland: Virginia; 67 firearms (0.6% of all firearms recovered in Virginia)
The state with second most guns traced from Maryland: Pennsylvania; 63 firearms (0.5% of all firearms recovered in Pennsylvania)
Assessment of gun law strength: A-

32. Iowa

Guns from Iowa recovered out of state: 849 (28.5% of recovered firearms from Iowa)
State with most guns traced from Iowa: Illinois; 243 firearms (1.6% of all firearms recovered in Illinois)
The state with second most guns traced from Iowa: Nebraska; 148 firearms (8.1% of all firearms recovered in Nebraska)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

31. Idaho

Guns from Idaho recovered out of state: 960 (53.3% of recovered firearms from Idaho)
The state with the most guns traced from Idaho: California; 361 firearms (1.1% of all firearms recovered in California)
The state with second most guns traced from Idaho: Washington; 161 firearms (3.4% of all firearms recovered in Washington)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

30. New Mexico

Guns from New Mexico recovered out of state: 1,053 (29.6% of recovered firearms from New Mexico)
The state with the most guns traced from New Mexico: Texas; 235 firearms (0.5% of all firearms recovered in Texas)
The state with second most guns traced from New Mexico: California; 197 firearms (0.6% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: C+

29. Utah

Guns from Utah recovered out of state: 1,212 (35.8% of recovered firearms from Utah)
The state with most guns traced from Utah: California; 718 firearms (2.2% of all firearms recovered in California)
The state with second most guns traced from Utah: Nevada; 81 firearms (1.7% of all firearms recovered in Nevada)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

28. Oregon

Guns from Oregon recovered out of state: 1,318 (29.3% of recovered firearms from Oregon)
The state with the most guns traced from Oregon: California; 553 firearms (1.7% of all firearms recovered in California)
The state with second most guns traced from Oregon: Washington; 279 firearms (5.8% of all firearms recovered in Washington)
Assessment of gun law strength: A-

27. Kansas

Guns from Kansas recovered out of state: 1,422 (34.7% of recovered firearms from Kansas)
The state with most guns traced from Kansas: Missouri; 512 firearms (5.8% of all firearms recovered in Missouri)
The state with second most guns traced from Kansas: California; 140 firearms (0.4% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

26. Wisconsin

Guns from Wisconsin recovered out of state: 1,470 (20.2% of recovered firearms from Wisconsin)
State with most guns traced from Wisconsin: Illinois; 650 firearms (4.2% of all firearms recovered in Illinois)
The state with second most guns traced from Wisconsin: Minnesota; 176 firearms (4.3% of all firearms recovered in Minnesota)
Assessment of gun law strength: C

25. Michigan

Guns from Michigan recovered out of state: 1,494 (17.9% of recovered firearms from Michigan)
The state with the most guns traced from Michigan: Ohio; 186 firearms (1.1% of all firearms recovered in Ohio)
The state with second most guns traced from Michigan: California; 125 firearms (0.4% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: B-

24. Colorado

Guns from Colorado recovered out of state: 1,606 (24.9% of recovered firearms from Colorado)
The state with the most guns traced from Colorado: California; 266 firearms (0.8% of all firearms recovered in California)
The state with second most guns traced from Colorado: Texas; 168 firearms (0.3% of all firearms recovered in Texas)
Assessment of gun law strength: A-

23. West Virginia

Guns from West Virginia recovered out of state: 1,608 (56.7% of recovered firearms from West Virginia)
The state with most guns traced from West Virginia: Maryland; 258 firearms (3.6% of all firearms recovered in Maryland)
The state with second most guns traced from West Virginia: Ohio; 219 firearms (1.3% of all firearms recovered in Ohio)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

22. Washington

Guns from Washington recovered out of state: 1,614 (31.7% of recovered firearms from Washington)
State with most guns traced from Washington: California; 416 firearms (1.2% of all firearms recovered in California)
The state with second most guns traced from Washington: Oregon; 315 firearms (7.4% of all firearms recovered in Oregon)
Assessment of gun law strength: A-

21. Arkansas

Guns from Arkansas recovered out of state: 1,778 (43.9% of recovered firearms from Arkansas)
The state with most guns traced from Arkansas: Texas; 311 firearms (0.6% of all firearms recovered in Texas)
The state with second most guns traced from Arkansas: California; 286 firearms (0.9% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

20. Oklahoma

Guns from Oklahoma recovered out of state: 1,960 (34.5% of recovered firearms from Oklahoma)
The state with most guns traced from Oklahoma: Texas; 480 firearms (1.0% of all firearms recovered in Texas)
The state with second most guns traced from Oklahoma: California; 471 firearms (1.4% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

19. California

Guns from California recovered out of state: 2,124 (11.0% of recovered firearms from California)
The state with the most guns traced from California: Nevada; 259 firearms (5.3% of all firearms recovered in Nevada)
The state with second most guns traced from California: Texas; 250 firearms (0.5% of all firearms recovered in Texas)
Assessment of gun law strength: A

18. Illinois

Guns from Illinois recovered out of state: 2,175 (22.5% of recovered firearms from Illinois)
The state with most guns traced from Illinois: Missouri; 246 firearms (2.8% of all firearms recovered in Missouri)
The state with second most guns traced from Illinois: Michigan; 219 firearms (2.5% of all firearms recovered in Michigan)
Assessment of gun law strength: A-

17. Louisiana

Guns from Louisiana recovered out of state: 2,831 (20.7% of recovered firearms from Louisiana)
State with most guns traced from Louisiana: Texas; 1,273 firearms (2.6% of all firearms recovered in Texas)
The state with second most guns traced from Louisiana: California; 228 firearms (0.7% of all firearms recovered in California)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

16. Kentucky

Guns from Kentucky recovered out of state: 3,065 (39.7% of recovered firearms from Kentucky)
The state with most guns traced from Kentucky: Ohio; 484 firearms (2.8% of all firearms recovered in Ohio)
The state with second most guns traced from Kentucky: Illinois; 459 firearms (3.0% of all firearms recovered in Illinois)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

15. Nevada

Guns from Nevada recovered out of state: 3,094 (47.0% of recovered firearms from Nevada)
The state with most guns traced from Nevada: California; 2,309 firearms (6.9% of all firearms recovered in California)
The state with the second most guns traced from Nevada: Arizona; 112 firearms (0.9% of all firearms recovered in Arizona)
Assessment of gun law strength: C-

14. Pennsylvania

Guns from Pennsylvania recovered out of state: 3,153 (23.8% of recovered firearms from Pennsylvania)
The state with the most guns traced from Pennsylvania: New Jersey; 617 firearms (17.4% of all firearms recovered in New Jersey)
The state with the second most guns traced from Pennsylvania: New York; 601 firearms (7.4% of all firearms recovered in New York)
Assessment of gun law strength: B

13. Missouri

Guns from Missouri recovered out of state: 3,217 (31.1% of recovered firearms from Missouri)
State with most guns traced from Missouri: Illinois; 1,005 firearms (6.5% of all firearms recovered in Illinois)
The state with the second most guns traced from Missouri: Kansas; 551 firearms (14.4% of all firearms recovered in Kansas)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

12. Alabama

Guns from Alabama recovered out of state: 3,519 (31.9% of recovered firearms from Alabama)
State with most guns traced from Alabama: Georgia; 575 firearms (2.9% of all firearms recovered in Georgia)
The state with the second most guns traced from Alabama: Florida; 560 firearms (1.8% of all firearms recovered in Florida)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

11. Tennessee

Guns from Tennessee recovered out of state: 3,538 (26.2% of recovered firearms from Tennessee)
State with most guns traced from Tennessee: Illinois; 297 firearms (1.9% of all firearms recovered in Illinois)
The state with the second most guns traced from Tennessee: Georgia; 284 firearms (1.4% of all firearms recovered in Georgia)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

10. Ohio

Guns from Ohio recovered out of state: 3,637 (19.7% of recovered firearms from Ohio)
State with most guns traced from Ohio: New York; 512 firearms (6.3% of all firearms recovered in New York)
The state with the second most guns traced from Ohio: Michigan; 268 firearms (3.1% of all firearms recovered in Michigan)
Assessment of gun law strength: D-

9. Mississippi

Guns from Mississippi recovered out of state: 4,074 (53.4% of recovered firearms from Mississippi)
State with most guns traced from Mississippi: Tennessee; 1,096 firearms (7.8% of all firearms recovered in Tennessee)
The state with the second most guns traced from Mississippi: Louisiana; 520 firearms (3.9% of all firearms recovered in Louisiana)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

8. North Carolina

Guns from North Carolina recovered out of state: 4,153 (21.0% of recovered firearms from North Carolina)
The state with most guns traced from North Carolina: New York; 565 firearms (6.9% of all firearms recovered in New York)
The state with the second most guns traced from North Carolina: South Carolina; 550 firearms (5.3% of all firearms recovered in South Carolina)
Assessment of gun law strength: C-

7. Indiana

Guns from Indiana recovered out of state: 4,616 (36.9% of recovered firearms from Indiana)
State with most guns traced from Indiana: Illinois; 2,521 firearms (16.4% of all firearms recovered in Illinois)
The state with the second most guns traced from Indiana: Kentucky; 308 firearms (5.1% of all firearms recovered in Kentucky)
Assessment of gun law strength: D-

6. South Carolina

Guns from South Carolina recovered out of state: 4,778 (36.7% of recovered firearms from South Carolina)
The state with the most guns traced from South Carolina: North Carolina; 1,411 firearms (6.8% of all firearms recovered in North Carolina)
The state with the second most guns traced from South Carolina: New York; 639 firearms (7.8% of all firearms recovered in New York)
Assessment of gun law strength: D-

5. Virginia

Guns from Virginia recovered out of state: 5,614 (35.9% of recovered firearms from Virginia)
State with most guns traced from Virginia: Maryland; 1,172 firearms (16.5% of all firearms recovered in Maryland)
The state with the second most guns traced from Virginia: North Carolina; 801 firearms (3.9% of all firearms recovered in North Carolina)
Assessment of gun law strength: B+

4. Florida

Guns from Florida recovered out of state: 5,723 (19.1% of recovered firearms from Florida)
The state with most guns traced from Florida: New York; 652 firearms (8.0% of all firearms recovered in New York)
The state with the second most guns traced from Florida: Georgia; 519 firearms (2.6% of all firearms recovered in Georgia)
Assessment of gun law strength: D+

3. Arizona

Guns from Arizona recovered out of state: 6,337 (39.0% of recovered firearms from Arizona)
The state with the most guns traced from Arizona: California; 4,512 firearms (13.5% of all firearms recovered in California)
The state with the second most guns traced from Arizona: Nevada; 240 firearms (4.9% of all firearms recovered in Nevada)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

2. Texas

Guns from Texas recovered out of state: 7,241 (14.7% of recovered firearms from Texas)
State with most guns traced from Texas: California; 1,667 firearms (5.0% of all firearms recovered in California)
The state with the second most guns traced from Texas: Louisiana; 857 firearms (6.4% of all firearms recovered in Louisiana)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

1. Georgia

Guns from Georgia recovered out of state: 8,315 (33.6% of recovered firearms from Georgia)
The state with most guns traced from Georgia: Florida; 1,214 firearms (4.0% of all firearms recovered in Florida)
The state with the second most guns traced from Georgia: New York; 1,008 firearms (12.4% of all firearms recovered in New York)
Assessment of gun law strength: F

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